2012: A look back at the halfway mark

“2012 is going to be my year,” I told myself, starting last November.

Since then, it’s been a daily mantra. At the halfway mark of the year, it’s time to do a gut check and see how the year is measuring up against what I’d hoped to accomplish.

Last year, I took advantage of a workplace program where I could meet with a career coach for six sessions. I started working with Nancy Hogan in late October, asking for her help in my job hunt.

She was a terrific sounding board, urging me not to “lose the light” and create a real plan for getting where I wanted to be instead of the “spray and pray” method I’d always used previously to apply for openings.

So I created a shortlist of companies that I was curious to learn more about. And tapped my network via email, Twitter, LinkedIn and in person to see if I could find contacts to meet for coffee. After all, I too had been invited to several such coffees over the last couple of years.

The results stunned me. In the past, job hunting had always been painful and long. This time it was still a long process; but a small, steady stream of successes along the way made the search far more manageable and upbeat.

Eight informational interviews led to three telephone interviews, three face-to-face interviews, two follow-up interviews, one presentation, one informal lunch and the offer I wanted most: to work full-time in digital marketing.

At the halfway mark of 2012, I’m stoked about where I find myself. And I’m looking forward to the second-half, in particular the conclusion of my passion project: a community dialogue on how we can empower girls to commemorate the first-ever International Day of the Girl Child this October hosted by the Girl Effect YVR, a local chapter of girl champs.

How is your 2012 shaping up? I’d love to know so please leave a comment or tweet me.